Stories by LiveScience

Perhaps the most unavoidable climate story of 2012 was the warmth that gripped much of the U.S., and to a lesser degree, the planet, throughout the year

Skull deformation of children was a common practice in Central America, but scientists are still struggling to solve the mystery of why these otherwise healthy youth died prematurely

A clenched fist locks the index finger and middle finger into place, an opportune configuration for dealing deadly blows

Unlike the case in human brains, neural connectivity does not rapidly augment in chimpanzee brains during the first two years of life, which may explain our unique intelligence

Creativity is important—without it, human society cannot survive—yet finding an appropriate method to quantify imagination has scientists stumped

Thousands of jumbo squid have beached themselves along the coast of Monterey Bay, Calif., and some scientists have blamed the behavior on lethal toxins produced by this year's red tides

Italian scientists sentenced to prison time for failure to predict an earthquake have researchers worldwide concerned about the way they assess and convey risk

A Russian foundation has honored eight scientists with the world's richest science award—nearly three times as lucrative as the Nobel Prize

Pachyderms moved away from human populations often wander back, ransacking houses and killing villagers

Carvings etched on rocks near the Nile River depict the ceremonial processions of a pharaoh—the oldest known illustrations of the kind

Research on howler monkeys shows interbreeding leaves no obvious genetic markers

Great apes who display the sense of curiosity and playfulness generally associated with extroverts generally outlive their shyer counterparts

The flowers have been a molecular mystery for years, but scientists think they may have discovered the combination of pigments that create these unusual beauties

A medication currently used to treat drug overdoses appears to help patients regulate brain chemicals linked to hypersomnia

While most of its relatives perished with the dinosaurs, the molelike creature lived 45 million years longer than expected

Selfish behavior proves to be good for the group when it comes to staying warm

Humans might be able to unconsciously perform complex tasks like reading and learning

These 750-legged invertebrates also are known for their fused mouths and silk-producing back hair

The risk of destroying a career is nothing compared with the evolutionary drive to reproduce

The disturbing world of dreams is grounded in day-to-day experience, scientists say

A new genetic analysis reveals that Ötzi the Iceman is most closely related to modern-day Sardinian

Twists and tangles in particles could result in new technology

The superstorm could boost President Obama's numbers in this year's election

This week's superstorm moves climate change back into national discourse